Park Ji-won: "If the US Proposes Vaccines More Boldly, North Korea May Engage in Dialogue"

Park Ji-won, Director of the National Intelligence Service, is attending the full meeting of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee held at the National Assembly on the 25th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Park Ji-won, Director of the National Intelligence Service, emphasized on the 13th, "If the United States boldly offers to provide its (COVID-19) vaccines, it could create a momentum for North Korea to come to the dialogue table."

Director Park said this during his congratulatory speech at the '2021 Global Intelligence Summit' hosted by the Institute for National Security Strategy at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul that morning, stating, "North Korea cannot keep its doors closed forever."

Director Park pointed out that North Korea has closed its borders due to COVID-19, blocking dialogue and meetings, and urged that North Korea, which has no vaccination plan, "must resolve the current situation through cooperation with the international community."

He also suggested that "Currently, General Secretary Kim Jong-un may be dissatisfied, thinking 'I have upheld the nuclear moratorium, including the suspension of intercontinental ballistic missile launches for the past four years, but what have we received from the United States?'" and indicated that the U.S. showing interest in lifting sanctions in the civilian sector could be a key to restarting North Korea-U.S. talks.

Director Park also addressed North Korea, saying, "North Korea should now come to the dialogue table with an open attitude and discuss major mutual interests, including the declaration of the end of the war, which South Korea and the U.S. are reviewing," emphasizing, "The issues of hostile policies and the withdrawal of double standards can also be included among the major interests."

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